Voice actors record narration, commercials, character voices, e-learning, audiobooks, telephone prompts, and video game dialogue for ad agencies, production companies, game studios, publishers, and small businesses. Most work from a home studio and invoice per project, per finished hour, or per word, with separate line items for usage rights, revisions, and extras like editing or live-directed sessions.
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Voice work is priced by project, not by the hour of your time. Common units include per finished hour (audiobooks and long-form narration), per word or per 100 words (e-learning, explainers, IVR), a flat fee per spot (commercials), and a per-line or per-session rate (games and animation). Commercial work adds a usage fee based on where the spot runs, for how long, and in which market, such as regional radio for 13 weeks or national online for one year. Union work (SAG-AFTRA) follows published scale rates, session fees, and holding or reuse payments, with payroll handled by the signatory company rather than by your invoice. Many non-union actors set a minimum session fee, typically for a short script, to cover setup and editing time. Add-ons are billed separately: rush turnaround, pickups and revisions beyond the included rounds, self-directed versus directed sessions, editing and mastering, multiple tags or alternate reads, and buyouts for extended or perpetual usage.
| Service | Priced | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate or e-learning narration | per finished minute or per 100 words | $15-40 per 100 words; $150-400 minimum |
| Explainer or web video voiceover | flat fee per project | $200-600 |
| Local or regional radio/TV commercial (non-union, 13 weeks) | per spot | $250-800 |
| National online/digital ad (1 year) | per spot including usage | $500-2,500 |
| Audiobook narration (non-union, pay-for-production) | per finished hour (PFH) | $150-400 |
| IVR / phone system prompts | per prompt or flat package | $5-15 per prompt; $100-250 minimum |
| Video game or animation character voice | per hour of session | $200-500 |
| Live-directed session (Source-Connect, Zoom, or ipDTL) | per hour | $100-250 |
Typical US ranges. Rates vary by region, experience, and job size.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corporate e-learning narration, 12 modules, approx. 4,800 words, WAV files delivered | 48 per 100 words | $25.00 | $1,200.00 |
| Usage license: internal training use, unlimited duration, US only | 1 flat | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Script revisions and pickups (client-requested wording changes, beyond 1 included round) | 2 per revision round | $75.00 | $150.00 |
| Custom file naming and per-module splitting/editing | 12 per file | $10.00 | $120.00 |
| Rush delivery (48-hour turnaround) | 1 flat | $150.00 | $150.00 |
| Total | $1,620.00 | ||
Notes: Payment due within 30 days of invoice date. Recording is licensed for internal employee training only, in the US, in perpetuity. Any external, broadcast, or paid-media use requires a separate license. Raw takes are not included. Late balances are subject to a 1.5% monthly fee. Payment accepted by ACH, check, or card.
Ties the fee to the exact script recorded, so later script changes can be billed as new work instead of disputed.
Commercial rates depend on where and how long the spot runs. Stating it on the invoice limits unauthorized reuse and sets the price for any extension.
Clients often send script changes after delivery. Listing included rounds shows what is billable.
Directed sessions take more of your time and often carry a separate hourly or minimum session fee.
Editing, mastering, and alternate reads are real labor. Itemizing them keeps the base rate clean and protects you if the client expected raw files.
Agencies and corporate accounts payable departments often cannot process an invoice without one.
US clients paying $600 or more in a year generally need your W-9 to issue a 1099, and clear payment details speed up payment.
Many voice actors take full payment upfront for small projects under a few hundred dollars, often by card or online payment before sending final files. Larger jobs, such as audiobooks or multi-session game work, commonly use a 25-50% deposit with the balance due on delivery or net 15-30. Ad agencies and corporate clients often pay net 30 to net 60, so confirm terms before booking and ask for a PO. Late fees of 1-1.5% per month are common if stated in advance. Payment methods usually include ACH, check, wire, PayPal, and card. Final licensed files are often released only after payment clears. For union work, payment and payroll are handled by the signatory producer, with deadlines set by the applicable SAG-AFTRA agreement.
Quote the recording as one line and the license as another. When a client wants to extend a spot from 13 weeks to a year, you invoice only the usage and do not renegotiate everything.
A 30-word phone greeting still takes setup, recording, editing, and file delivery. A minimum of $100-250 stops tiny jobs from costing more time than they earn.
Fix your own errors, mispronunciations, and sound quality problems for free. Charge for client script changes and new direction after approval. Put this distinction in your quote and on the invoice.
For new clients, send watermarked or low-quality auditions and release clean WAV files after payment. This works well for non-agency clients you have not worked with before.
Pay-for-production audiobook rates depend on finished hours, not recording hours. Track your actual time, including editing and proofing, so you know your real hourly return and can adjust your PFH rate.
Per word or per 100 words is common for short scripts like e-learning, explainers, and IVR, since the length is fixed. Per finished hour is the norm for audiobooks and long-form narration. Whichever you choose, state the unit and the minimum on the invoice.
Add a separate line or state the license terms: media (radio, TV, web, social), territory (local, regional, national), and term (13 weeks, 1 year, perpetual). Longer or broader usage costs more. If the client wants to extend later, invoice a renewal fee.
Clients who pay you as an independent contractor generally issue you a 1099 if they pay $600 or more in a year, and may ask for a W-9. You do not issue 1099s to clients. Thresholds and rules can change, so check current IRS guidance or ask a tax professional.
Offer one or two rounds included in the fee, and bill additional rounds at a per-round or hourly rate. For ongoing work, a per-project cap or a monthly retainer can cover a defined number of changes.
On SAG-AFTRA jobs, the signatory producer or their payroll company pays you through payroll under the union contract, with session fees, usage, and reuse payments set by scale. You typically submit a time or session record rather than a freelance invoice. Check the specific agreement and your union's guidance.
Send a Voice Actor estimate for approval, then turn it into an invoice when the work is done.
Voice Actor estimate template